title: Effect of leukotriene receptor antagonists on lung fibrosis in rats.
abstract: To compare the effects of montelukast, prednisone and the combination of both drugs in a rat model of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis. Rats, injected intravenously with bleomycin daily for five consecutive days, were treated with either montelukast, prednisone or a combination of both drugs orally daily for 35 days starting 14 days after the commencement of the first dose of bleomycin. Montelukast-treated rats showed reduction in collagen deposition by 29% and significant reduction in lung hydroxyproline content by 32%. Prednisone produced nonsignificant difference in collagen deposition and in lung hydroxyproline content compared with the bleomycin group. There was also a significant reduction in collagen deposition and hydroxyproline content in montelukast and prednisone treated rats by 15 and 17%, respectively, compared with bleomycin group. A significant reduction occurred in the mean area percentage of myofibroblast α smooth muscle actin in montelukast and montelukast and prednisone-treated groups by 41 and 37%, respectively, with nonsignificant difference in prednisone-treated rats as compared with the bleomycin group. Montelukast may be therapeutically effective for inhibiting further progression of lung fibrosis through inhibition of α-SMA positive myofibroblasts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. olfatshaker@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Olfat G
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Shaker
authors.forename: Doaa A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Sourour
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000633:toxicity; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000032:analysis; D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D011241:Prednisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011804:Quinolines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D013440:Sulfides
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D004338:Drug Combinations; D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists; D011804:Quinolines; D013440:Sulfides; D001761:Bleomycin; D003094:Collagen; C093875:montelukast; D006909:Hydroxyproline; D011241:Prednisone